Gasoline blending apparatus

ABSTRACT

A THREE GRADE GASOLINE DISPENSING SYSTEM IS DISCLOSED WHEREIN TWO GRADES OF GASOLINE ARE STORED IN SUBSURFACE TANKS AND BLENDED TO OBTAIN AN INTERMEDIATE GRADE. THE SYSTEM COMPRISES TWO SEPARATE STORAGE TANKS (FOR PREMIUM GRADE AND REGULAR GRADE GASOLINE) EACH CONNECTED TO A SEPARATE PUMP, EACH PUMP BEING SEPARATELY CONNECTED TO METERING AND DISPENSING DEVICES BY TWO PIPES, RESPECTIVELY A PREMIUM GRADE PIPE AND AN INTERMEDIATE GRADE PIPE. A THIRD PUMP, METERING AND DISPENSING DEVICE IS SEPARATELY CONNECTED TO ONE OF THE TANKS BY A PIPE. AN INTERCONNECTING PIPE IS CONNECTED BETWEEN EACH OF THE FIRST (PREMIUM) AND SECOND (INTERMEDIATE GRADE) PIPES LEADING FROM THEIR RESPECTIVE PUMPS. A NORMALLY CLOSED SOLENOID VALVE IS MOUNTED IN THE INTERCONNECTING PIPE, WHILE A NORMALLY OPEN SOLENOID VALVE IS MOUNTED IN THE PIPE TO THE PREMIUM GRADE METERING DEVICE WHEREBY FLOW THROUGH THE PREMIUM DISPENSING DEVICE PIPE AND THE INTERCONNECTING PIPE ARE CONTROLLED BY AN INTERLOCKING CIRCUIT TO ASSURE PROPER PROPORTIONAL MIXING OF THE TWO GRADES OF GASOLINE TO OBTAIN THE INTERMEDIATE GRADE.

. Feb. 20, 1973 A. F. GULBRANDSEN 3,717,283

GASOLINE BLENDING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 17, 1971 smmsa STORAGE TANK TANK 22 L I 30 lzov.

' INVENTOR ARTHUR F. GULBRANDSEN ATTORNEY United States Patent O Int. Cl. B67d 5/44 US. Cl. 222-76 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A three grade gasoline dispensing system is disclosed wherein two grades of gasoline are stored in subsurface tanks and blended to obtain an intermediate grade. The system comprises two separate storage tanks (for premium grade and regular grade gasoline) each connected to a separate pump, each pump being separately connected to metering and dispensing devices by two pipes, respectively a premium grade pipe and an intermediate grade pipe. A third pump, metering and dispensing device is separately connected to one of the tanks by a pipe. An interconnecting pipe is connected between each of the first (premium) and second (intermediate grade) pipes leading from their respective pumps. A normally closed solenoid valve is mounted in the interconnecting pipe, while a normally open solenoid valve is mounted in the pipe to the premium grade metering device whereby flow through the premium dispensing device pipe and the interconnecting pipe are controlled by an interlocking circuit to assure proper proportional mixing of the two grades of gasoline to obtain the intermediate grade.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This application relates to improved apparatus for achieving the mixing of two fluids from separate sources at a dispensing device. More particularly, this application is directed to apparatus for controlling the mixing of gasoline of differing quality or octane number from two separate sources to provide an intermediate quality gaso- Most recently, due to various pollution problems, obnoxious chemicals, and the public desire to improve the quality of the environment, the public, government and industry have been engaged in reducing polluting emissions from automobiles. One factor has been the substitution of catalytic mufflers in vehicles to convert unburned hydrocarbons and other elements such as carbon monoxide to water and carbon dioxide. The efficiency of these catalytic mufiiers is however, rapidly degraded by the presence of lead in the engine exhaust. In addition, the presence of lead which may be itself an environmental pollutant has caused the public and the Government to recommend the future use of non-leaded or low lead fuel. Presently lead is included in the gasoline as an octane improver needed to bring the octane or anti-knock rating of both regular and premium gasolines up to the level required for most automobile engines produced in the last decade. The latest model automobile engines are deslgned to work on lower octane non-leaded or low lead gasolines in preparation for future inclusion of catalytic mufflers in automobiles. As a result, the gasoline suppliers are faced with the necessity for economically providing low or non-leaded gasolines while at the same time providing premium high octane leaded gasoline for those vehicles already in service.

This requirement results in a major logistics problem since most service stations and their suppliers are equipped to dispense only two grades of fuel, and the provision of a third non-leaded grade of gasoline would impose uneconomical burdens and costs on those supplying gaso- Patented Feb. 20, 1 973 "ice line to the public. It has therefore been proposed to basically use two grades of gasoline, specifically, a normally leaded high octane grade and a non-leaded low octane grade, and to mix the two grades as required by any particular motorist to obtain an intermediate grade fuel as well as simultaneously dispensing the other two grades.

Apparatus for accomplishing such an operation is shown in US. Pat. 2,921,719 issued Jan. 19, 1960 to C. F. Bateman. While the fluid dispensing system disclosed in the aforesaid patent appears to be satisfactory for the aforementioned purpose, it is desirable to utilize as economical a system as possible due to the great number of present systems which would have to be modified.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION I have therefore invented an apparatus for dispensing three grades of gasoline from two tanks storing two of the grades of gasoline, comprising: a first pump communicatingly connected to a first one of the tanks; a second pump communicatingly connected to a second of the tanks; a first dispensing and metering device communicatingly connected to the first pump by a first pipe; a second dispensing and metering device communicatingly connected to the second pump by a second pipe; an interconnecting pipe communicatingly connected between the first and second pipes; a normally open solenoid valve mounted in the first pipe; a normally closed solenoid valve mounted in the interconnecting pipe, and switch means connected to the solenoid valves and to the first and second pumps for activating the normally open valve and the normally closed valve and the first and second pumps whereby the gasoline from the two tanks is pumped through the second dispensing and metering device as an intermediate grade of gasoline.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 depicts an elevation of the fuel dispensing system to which the invention is applied; and

FIG. 2 is a schematic of the control system for dispensing the various grades of fuel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Basically, the present invention is an adaptation of a twograde gasoline dispensing station in order to achieve three-grade dispensing from the two-grade gasoline source. For this purpose, a conventional fuel pump island arranged in such the manner as shown in FIG. 1 is utilized. Such a pump island has three dispensing stations, one being for low octane fuel or in the present case about 91 octane, and the other for premium, i.e., octane and each being connected separately to their respective fuel tanke located beneath the surface. The third dispensing station is for an intermediate grade fuel of about 94 octane. Apparatus for dispensing the three grades of gasoline utilizes the previously described dispensing station as the basic unit. Thus the station has an underground low octane fuel tank 12 mounted in the ground beneath the surface. A low octane dispensing and metering device 14 is connected to the low octane fuel tank in much the same manner as currently practiced and serves as the dispensing station for the low octane fuel. A low octane conduit 16 therefore connects the tank to a low octane pump 18 mounted in the low octane dispensing device and from there to a metering and a dispensing device 14, i.e. a fuel hose and nozzles. Fuel is dispensed therefrom in the usual manner.

Also connected to the low octane gasoline tank is an intermediate grade dispensing and metering device '20 by another pipe 22 in which an intermediate grade pump 24 is mounted. A premium grade gasoline dispensing and metering device 26 is also associated with the apparatus of this invention. The premium dispensing device 26 serves to dispense a premium grade gasoline and for this purpose is connected to a premium grade storage tank'28 by a pipe 30. A third electrically powdered pump 32 is mounted in pipe 30 for pumping gasoline from the premium grade tank through pipe 30. An interconnecting pipe 34 is provided which connects pipe 30 to pipe 22 at a point above their respective tank and below their respective dispensing devices.

A normally close solenoid valve 36 is mounted in the interconnecting pipe 34 and, unless activated, prevents fluid flow through pipe 34. Another solenoid valve, which in this case is a normally open solenoid valve 38, is mounted in pipe 30 above its junction with the interconnecting pipe 34. Both solenoid valves, that is valves 36 and 38 are connected in parallel to the electrical control circuit as illustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawings.

The control circuit is powdered by a 120 volt AC normal electrical power source, not shown, which supplies voltage to Wires 40 and 42. Wire 40 is connected at a four point terminal 44 to a premium pump wire 46, an intermediate grade pump wire 48 and to one end of a latching relay 50 via a wire 52. The other AC power line 42 is junctioned at a terminal 54 to two wires, 56 and 58. Wire 56 is connected to the other side of the intermediate grade pump motor and has a manual switch 60 mounted therein which activates the intermediate grade fueling operation. Two wires 52 and 62 are junctioned to the open side of manual switch 60 and are respectively connected to the latching relay coil 50 and to one side of the normally open point 66 of the latching relay.

From the junction 54 another wire 58 is connected to a normally closed switch point of the latching relay. The other normally closed switch point is connected via a wire 74 to a premium grade supply manual switch 76. The other terminal of switch 76 is connected via wire 78 to the premium grade pump motor 32 and to the open terminal point 83 of the normally open points of the latching relay.

Another of the leads from the intermediate grade manual switch 60 is wire 84 which is connected to one side of each of the respective coil windings of the normally open solenoid valve 38 and the normally closed solenoid valve 36. Thus when the switch is closed, power is supplied to the solenoid valve coils. The other side of each of the solenoid valve coils is connected via wire 86 to the power line 40 via terminal 44.

In operation, the control system is set to allow for either delivery of the intermediate grade fuel or the premium grade fuel, yet is simple enough to be economically installed in the thousands of service stations requiring three grade fuel dispensing but having only two fuel tanks available. Thus, closing of the intermediate grade manual switch 60 activates the intermediate grade pump motor directly, and at the same time opens the normally closed solenoid valve and closes the normally open solenoid valve. In addition, the latching relay is activated and supplies power to the premium grade pump even though its manual switch is open. Controlled amounts of the low grade and premium grade fuel are therefore supplied to the intermediate grade meter to obtain the third grade fuel dispensing capacity which is the object of this invention. At the same time, delivery of premium fuel is prevented at its dispensing device.

Having thus fully described the apparatus of this invention, and with the intention to cover same without departing from either the spirit or scope thereof, I claim:

1. Apparatus for dispensing three grades of gasoline from two tanks storing two of said grades of gasoline, said apparatus comprising:

a first pump communicatingly connected to a first of said tanks,

a second pump communicatingly connected to a second of said tanks,

a first dispensing and metering device communicatingly connected to said first pump by a first pipe,

a second dispensing and metering device communicat ingiy connected to said second pump by a second p p an interconnecting pipe communicatingly connected between said first and second second pipe,

a normally open solenoid valve mounted in said first a normally closed solenoid valve mounted in said interconnecting pipe, and

switch means connected to said solenoid valves and to said first and second pumps for activating said first and second pumps together, said normally open valve and said normally closed valve each being responsively activated by said switch when said first and second pumps are both activated.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said switch means comprises:

a first switch means for activating said solenoid valves and said first and second pumps, and

a second switch means for activating said second pump, said second switch being inactivated by the application of said first switch means.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 which additionally comprises:

a third pump communicatingly connected to one of said tanks, and

a third dispensing and metering device communicatingly connected to said third pump.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/ 1962 Mayes 22276 X 

